Life so far

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Present day

It was a promise she kept.

It had been three and a half years since Levy's dad died, and it was still taking such an unfortunate toll on her. She drank a lot and threw herself into her work, so much that she couldn't think of anything else. She couldn't help it! He was the one she turned to for guidance, he was the one who had the answers when she was down. She called him every single day at three PM, just to talk about her day, but now that she couldn't do that anymore… she still felt so lost and so alone. Gajeel would always text her, and it worked a little, but it wasn't the same comfort she would get from him if he were actually there with her. He did his best.

It's been three years.

That's what she had to keep telling herself. She should be over it by now. At least, that's what Jet kept telling her.

"Geez, you're crying again?" He said, walking by her home office. She was resting her head on her desk, sniffling because this was supposedly around the time she'd call and talk to him. She had this incessant notification in her calendar set to remind her about it every damn day, and every damn day, he'd have to see her mope around. It was getting kind of annoying.

Levy was in the middle of some translations when her phone chimed, giving her that daily five-minute reminder that she was supposed to talk to her dad. It was the saddest five minutes of the day.

Perhaps that wasn't helping her gain closure. Perhaps if she deleted the notification, she'd be able to move on. She had to stop reminding herself of it.

But maybe this was her way of moving on.

After all, everyone had their own coping methods.

She lifted her head, wiping the tears off her face. Staring through the window, she looked at the new bike Jet bought last week. It looked so much like Gajeel's, only with flames painted on it. "Sorry, you're right."

Jet sauntered over to her, standing to the side of her desk. "I have something that'll get your mind off it."

Did he really, though? He never did. She craned her neck up to look at him. "Like what?"

"You hungry?" He asked with a smile.

"I could eat, I guess," she said, glancing at her phone. "Let me guess, you want me to make you something?"

"Please?" He leaned down and gave her a small hug from behind as she nodded slightly. "You're the best!"

He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before darting upstairs to his man cave. "Oh, and make enough for Droy, too!"

Levy rolled her eyes and picked up her phone, her spirits being lifted immediately when she read the name on the screen.

A text from Gajeel, right on time.

They spoke every day, whether it be via phone calls, video chats, or texts. And she didn't necessarily remember mentioning that she had this three o'clock routine every day, but they talk so much, she very well could have.

Well, it was a good thing because every day at three oh one, he'd text her. It would be something random or cute, or it'd be a meme or a silly joke, and he never missed a day, even with them being in different time zones. Sometimes, he would know when she was taking it especially hard, saying he could tell by the way she messaged him throughout the day or something. Judging by today's text, he knew she was feeling pretty down right now.

Gajeel – Keep your head up, short stuff. I feel like you're taking it pretty hard right now.

How could she repay him for his kindness?

Levy – Yeah, it's bad right now. Jet's not helping, either.

Gajeel – Hey that's your boy. Can't believe you're still with him.

Levy – I know. I'm weak. I'll leave eventually. I miss you.

She felt guilty for telling another man that she missed him when she was in a committed relationship, but it was all harmless! He was just her best friend, nothing more, nothing less.

Gajeel – I miss you like crazy, Lev.

Levy – Wish you were here. But you'll never leave that place.

Gajeel – Come back. It ain't home without you.

If she didn't have this sweet job, she would go back with no second thoughts.

Levy – You'll break out of your shell one of these days. And when you do, you're always welcome here.

Gajeel – Yeah right. If I step foot into your place and see that piece of shit bastard, I'm gonna punch his teeth in.

Levy – I know.

Levy literally told Gajeel everything. And it was mainly because he asked. He would ask her anything, from the most menial question to the most intricate, varying from 'what did you have for breakfast?' to 'what do you think the meaning of life is?' Their talks would last as long as their personal lives would let them.

So, of course, he would ask about the guy she told him she was settling for. Of course, he would want to know why she was calling him upset for the umpteenth time. Of course, he would look out for her mental health and wellbeing. But, she knew if he didn't want to know, he wouldn't ask about it, and because of that, she never gave up information she wasn't sure he wanted to hear.

Of course, he'd hate Jet's guts.

But she was comfortable.

Gajeel – I'll call you tonight before you go to bed.

He made it a habit of calling her to talk to her for a few minutes before she fell asleep. She had to admit, it was the brighter part of her day. Since Jet was in this bike club, or whatever, he often stayed out late, and she often fell asleep by herself. It was another thing Gajeel made very clear he hated. He always told her that she deserved more and that she was worth all of the right guy's time. He was right, but her depression had her convinced that Jet was the best she could do.

That, and the fact that he rudely reminded her of it each time they got into an argument.

So, she believed it.

You spend so long hearing someone telling you something, you start to believe it, right? At least, she did.

Levy – Okay.

A few hours later, she was winding down for bed. Usually, she'd keep herself busy with work or schoolwork, but she just finished up with her degree a little over a month ago and had a bunch of new free time. Trying to finish school after her father passed was one of the hardest things she ever had to do, but she was really glad she did it, and she was proud of herself. With all the setbacks and mental challenges she faced, she wished Jet gave a little more praise, but it was okay. She could support herself mentally… along with the help of her best friend.

After she graduated, she went back home to celebrate since her mom opted on staying there when they went for her dad's funeral. It was a virtual graduation, so she was able to 'walk the stage' back home with her loved ones. Gajeel and her mom put their heads together and coordinated a small party with both families, with cake and gifts. It was an amazing time.

She and Gajeel were summer babies, and with her graduation being close to their birthday, she chose to stay and celebrate with him as she'd been doing since they reunited.

The gift she got from him was the best one of all.

She stood in her bathroom mirror wrapped in her towel, looking at said gift with a soft smile. He'd woken her up that morning and dragged her everywhere, not that she was bothered at all by it. Their excursion started with breakfast and ended with dinner and everything in between. One of those things being matching tattoos. It was cheesy, but a tradition usually done between best friends, so she figured it was harmless. Surprisingly enough, it was his idea, and it wasn't like he had to twist her arm to agree, either.

They were simple tattoos, just their birthday in matching roman numerals. Hers was on her right collarbone and his was on the back of his right shoulder. She loved it. It felt like they weren't so far apart. It really aided with the comfort.

It was her first tattoo and she was a little nervous, but it didn't hurt nearly as much as she thought it would. She remembered telling him she wanted more, and he laughed, saying he did too, and maybe they could make it a thing to get tattoos every year when she visited.

It was an offer she couldn't pass up. She'd jokingly suggested they get all matching tattoos and he'd taken it seriously, like she really should have expected. She was ashamed to say she secretly thought it was a cute idea.

He was so obvious.

But he was thousands of miles away from her and he was just her best friend. Nothing more, nothing less.

Her phone rang and it startled her out of her thoughts, but it was okay because she knew who it was judging by the ringtone. There was this song he wrote on his guitar back in high school that he burned to a CD and gave to her, and she kept it forever. She eventually converted it into an mp3 file and downloaded it as his ringtone during their last year together before she left. She didn't think she'd ever change it.

She wondered if he still played.

She grabbed her phone from the bathroom counter, it was a video call. Without even thinking, she answered it, pleased to see his face. "Gajeel!"

"Ya sound happy ta see me, Shorty," he said with a knowing smirk.

"Of course, I am!" She walked over to her vanity and sat the phone against the mirror and sat down so he could see her while she combed her hair.

"The view is nice," he teased.

She looked down and blushed. "Oh, shoot! It completely slipped my mind that I was still in my towel. Sorry."

"No need ta apologize, I don't mind it at all."

"I bet," she giggled, pulling out her brush.

"I'm guessin' yer boy is out with his gang again, huh?" He asked, his lips pressed into a thin line.

"Yeah, he left after I made food for him and his friend," she rolled her eyes. She honestly barely spent time with him. Perhaps that's why she was comfortable.

"Again. Ya really don't do anythin' fer yerself."

"I have more free time now, so I'll start doing stuff," she brushed an annoying tangle out of her hair and winced lightly. "This might sound crazy, but I don't even know what I like aside from reading."

"It's not that ya don't know what ya like, it's that yer not wantin' ta do those things alone," he stated matter-of-factly.

"Yeah, I guess so."

It was true. Contrary to popular belief, she didn't like being alone, especially after her dad died. She tried talking to Jet about it, but he said she was being needy, and she kind of saw it. Since then, she sort of kept that to herself, and just pretended she was okay. But there was one person she couldn't pretend with.

"Maybe I should go visit so ya can give me a tour of the city," he said, flashing her a grin. "That'll keep ya busy."

"You won't do it, don't tease me." She finished brushing her hair and put it up in a bun for bed. "It would be nice, but I know you're rooted in your ways."

'I can come see ya. It's not a big deal. I just know ya rather come back home since ya miss it."

"Alright, deal. I'm available whenever. I'll most likely be working, though," she stood and walked through the door and into the bedroom, phone in hand as she angled it upward so she could remove her towel without him seeing.

"No worries, Shorty. I'll watch ya while ya work."

"Speaking of work," she said, crawling into her large bed and setting her phone against the pillow. Only the light of her phone screen illuminated the room and she knew it was enough for him to see her. "You're at home right now. Isn't your shop still open?"

"I get a break sometimes too, Lev," he joked. "Nah, but I hired someone else a while back, so he's workin' the shop right now."

"Oh~ look at you!" Levy was proud of him for doing well with his dad's shop. "How do you feel knowing you've accomplished your goal from when you were a teenager?"

"It feels good, Lev. I wanna expand an' open up another shop in another town on the other side of the mountain. I've been lookin' at this old building that's fer sale."

"That's a good plan," she yawned.

"I wanna get big an' share my wealth."

"Then do it. I know you can. You have all my support."

"I know. Yer always gonna be by my side, Shorty."

"That was the whole reason for these matching tattoos, huh? So you'd be connected to me forever?" It was her turn to tease him. She really wished he were there.

"Yup. How'd ya know?"

"You're completely serious, aren't you?" She grinned.

"As a heart attack," he said, completely calm as he put an arm behind his head. "Did ya eat well, taday?"

"I ate a little, but it's been brought to my attention that I've gained weight, so I'm trying to cut back a bit."

He sighed heavily. "I really hate that fucker, Lev. I really wish ya would leave him. I haven't seen ya truly happy in a while. Now he's callin' ya fat?"

She shouldn't have said anything. She hated seeing him upset at her awful choices. But there was really nothing urging her to leave. This wasn't anything she couldn't handle. "I mean, I have put on a little weight, so he's not wrong."

"Jesus, Lev," he scoffed, disgust all over his face. "The fact that yer defendin' him is beyond me. Ya clearly like bein' miserable."

"I gained twenty pounds in the last year! You saw me!" She whined, completely ignoring everything he just said.

"Levy, cut it out. Yer not fat. Yer perfect the way ya are. Don't change a thing."

"You say that, but I don't feel pretty like I used to."

"An' while yer layin' in bed alone, when I know fer a fact that ya hate bein' alone, thinkin' 'bout all this depressin' shit, ya need ta think ta yerself, 'why ain't my man here with me, makin' me feel better?'"

"He has his own life, Gajeel, I have to respect that."

That was bullshit. She knew it.

"Well, if yer content. Ya already know how I feel 'bout the situation, an' I don't wanna go down that road today," he sighed, dropping it. "Ya goin' into the office tomorrow?"

She was thankful he decided not to go that route this time. It was also super nice to have someone have her back like this. "Yeah, I have a few meetings scheduled. What do you have going on tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow's Friday, so I'll probably take half the day an' catch a flight ta come see ya," he said with a grin.

"Wow, coming so soon? You just saw me a month ago!"

Why was her stomach fluttering?

"I know, an' I miss ya already. Is that a crime?"

"No!" She answered a bit too quickly. "I'll clear up my weekend so I can show you around."

"Clear up yer weekend? Thought ya didn't have a life," he snickered.

"I work for a few hours on the weekend, that's all. But it's nothing I can't get done on Monday," she said, rolling over and taking the phone with her.

"Okay. Then I guess I'll see ya tomorrow, Shorty."

She was going to sleep well tonight. "Good night, Gajeel."

"Sleep tight."

The next morning

The smell of breakfast food woke her up and she groaned. Jet only made food for her if he either did something wrong or if he needed a favor from her. She really should leave him, but… she rarely spent time with him anyway and he helped out with the bills a little, so why not use him? She rolled out of bed and threw her fluffy robe and slippers on, heading to the kitchen.

"Good morning!" Jet greeted as she rounded the corner. "I made all your favorites!"

"Gee, what's the occasion," she deadpanned.

"I just thought," he moseyed into her space and gave her a hug. "You deserved something nice."

He pulled away and gave a smile before kissing her cheek, then down to her neck. He went to kiss her tattoo lightly and she backed away before he could make contact with it, her hand inadvertently raising to cover it. He looked at her in confusion.

"It's still healing," she quickly said, not really knowing why she just lied. It shouldn't have been weird, but it was. There was something… not right about him kissing that particular spot on her body. It felt wrong.

"Okay," Jet thought it looked completely healed in his eyes, but whatever. "Sit, sit! Enjoy your breakfast!"

He ushered her to her designated chair at the kitchen table and sat her down, and she couldn't wait to hear whatever it was he wanted this time. "Jet, what are you up to?"

"I'm glad you asked," he sat down across from her excitedly. "So, Droy got this hookup for a bike event tomorrow, but it's up in the Bay. I just wanted to tell you that I was leaving this afternoon and coming back on Sunday evening, cool?"

"Jet, we never spend any time together," Levy said, kind of bummed that her boyfriend was choosing to leave her alone for the weekend. She had Gajeel to look forward to, but this still sucked to think about. "Do you even like me? Should I leave?"

"Ha! Levy, I'm pretty sure I'm the only one with enough patience to handle all those emotions you have going on, plus, nobody's going to want you unless you lose some weight," he said casually, standing from the table and grabbing his keys from the wall. "I'm just being honest. See ya!"

Again, he managed to walk out and leave her speechless with his cruel truth.

She stood and went to the fridge, pulling out a bottle of wine to have with her breakfast. Yeah, it was early, but her mood had soured quickly and she hadn't even been awake for ten minutes! 'It's five o'clock somewhere.'

She took out the reusable cork and turned the bottle up to her lips. It'd been a while since she and Jet were intimate, and she figured it was about the weight thing. It sucked, but people can't help what they're attracted to. She kind of let herself go in the past few years, but she was going to pull herself together with or without his help.

Maybe then, he'd want her.


Gajeel was pissed.

He was hurt, sad, confused, all of the above. He was even a little scared. Mainly pissed. He just wanted to wake up and start his day like he usually would. But it seemed life had other plans.

It was three AM. He could call Levy since he knew she was up; he was three hours behind her, and she had to go into the office. 'No, I don't wanna worry her.' Besides, he had a bunch of stuff to pull together and pack up, and the two of them could get carried away and talk forever. He couldn't waste any time. Thankfully, he had a few connections and a bunch of money saved up so he could get his shit in order quickly, but the fact that he even had to do this mess was unsettling. It wasn't his choice to be born here!

Maybe thirty minutes ago, his phone had gone off, waking him up. At first, he thought it was her calling him upset at her shitty boyfriend again, but once he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes… he wished it was her.

But no, it was an alert notifying him and everyone else on the island that the volcano was going to erupt soon, and that everyone needed to evacuate. He remembered that mountain smoking two times in his life, once when he was seven, and again when he was twenty-seven. It must have been brewing this whole time, ready to annihilate everything in its path, and he could only hope his small neighborhood wasn't in its line of destruction.

He rolled out of bed and grabbed everything of importance from his small bedroom and threw it into a few suitcases and duffel bags before shoving them in the trunk of his car, thanking himself for deciding to buy one not too long ago. He sent a quick text to a friend who could get his car and his bike shipped to the city and made his way to his shop to grab some stuff that would be a bitch to replace if lost.

He stood in his semi-empty shop, nothing but the car lifts and larger tools he couldn't fit into his car remaining. This fucking sucked! He only had this place for about six years, and his dad had it for thirty beforehand! It was likely going to be destroyed with its close proximity to the mountain, and he just couldn't wrap his head around this whole thing. He was going to lose his home, his shop, most of his possessions. It was really depressing. His dad told him that he planned on staying there and maybe moving to one of the other smaller islands, but Gajeel? He refused to be uprooted again.

Maybe it wasn't so bad that Levy left. But… her mom moved back into the house across the street three years ago and was going to have to move again. He called her to check on her and see if she had a plan, and she'd already gathered her things and left. Good. One less thing for him to worry about.

He took one last look around his shop, feeling a little emotional about never coming back, but what could he do? He didn't have time to stand around and cry about it. He needed to get his vehicles on a boat, and himself on a plane so he could start fresh, he guessed.

After perhaps an hour or so, he got as much as he could packed away and was content when his friend contacted him saying he had space available for his vehicles, and he gave him a good discount since they knew each other and because of the emergency evacuation, but he had to be ready to get them on the ship right that moment.

He moved quickly, getting his car there first since it had all his stuff in it, then he found someone to give him a ride back to his bike so he could get that there, too. He found a last-minute one-way flight, and the price was outrageous! He knew it was because everyone was trying to fly at that moment, but still!

Finally, after a few hours of everything, he found himself on a plane and ready to take off. He was certain Levy was worrying since she hadn't heard from him all morning, and now that he was done rushing around, he could give her a call.

Right as he was about to dial her number, everyone on the plane was told to put their phones on airplane mode so they could safely take off. 'Fuck! I'm gonna have ta call her when I land.' Five more hours until he could hear her voice and see her face. Five hours. Five hours of being cooped up in a plane with a bunch of unhappy fucks.

And as the plane took off and circled around the island to go in the opposite direction, he saw a huge plume of smoke and ash rising from the volcano in the distance, larger than he'd ever seen in his life. 'Shit…' He closed the shade to the window and put his headphones in.

Five more hours.


Levy was beyond worried! She couldn't focus at all! It was around one thirty in the afternoon and she was sitting in her car staring at her phone. She'd been calling Gajeel over and over, thinking the worst happened to him. He never missed a check-in, and he always messaged her in the morning. When he didn't this time, she figured he got caught up in something and waited to hear from him, but her mom called her…

After she made it to work that morning, she got done most of what she wanted to and was headed to lunch when she got a very unsettling phone call. She couldn't even finish out the rest of her shift. She was way too sad, way too worried, way too… she didn't even know. Her mom said something about the volcano on the island erupting, and after she heard that she was safe on the other island, her ears started ringing. Her first thought, 'Gajeel.' Was he okay? Did he make it in time? What about his dad? His shop? 'Oh my God, Gajeel!'

What if he didn't make it? She picked up her phone again, but this time she searched for information on the eruption. She wanted to see its path, and if their small town was decimated.

Unfortunately, her old neighborhood was built kind of close to the base of the mountain and judging by the helicopter footage, it had been pretty much swallowed whole. She held a hand to her mouth. Everything she knew and grew up with was gone. Her childhood home, her school, the parks she and Gajeel used to hang out at.

'Gajeel!' She needed to hear from him. He had to call her soon. She'd left voicemail after voicemail, text after text. She had to reach him. She dialed his number again, never losing hope that he would pick up.

"Le—"

"Gajeel! Oh my God, you answered! Are you okay? Why didn't you call me? Where are you? Please tell me you're alright!"

"Levy. I'm… alright."

He wasn't alright. He sounded so depressed, it broke her heart. "Gajeel…"

"I'm guessin' ya heard?"

"Yeah," she said, pushing the button to start her car. "My mom called me a couple hours ago. Once she told me she was okay, all I could think about was you."

"I made it out alive, Shorty. Thanks fer thinkin' of me."

"I always think about you," she said honestly. "Where are you?"

"I'm here, at the airport."

"You're here? With me?" She didn't think he'd still show up! Though, that made sense as to why his phone kept going to voicemail.

"Well yeah, Lev. It was an emergency evacuation. I have ta fuckin' start all the way over! Fuck, man! I'm so fuckin' frustrated."

"Sit tight! I'll come get you! We'll talk when I pick you up, okay?" She was already on her way to the airport. In fact, as soon as he said he was there, she'd started driving and didn't even realize it. "GPS says fifteen minutes."


"Alright, Lev. Can't wait ta see ya." It was true. She was the only person who could cheer him up in a time like this. Hearing her sweet voice made his day a million times better.

He felt bad that he couldn't call her and expected she'd worry about him. When he stepped off that plane, he checked his phone to see tons of missed calls and texts from her, even some voicemails. He was going to give her a call but she beat him to the punch.

God, he loved her. And he truly felt she loved him too and didn't even realize it.

That's why he was waiting for her.

Because he was confident that once she finally got the courage to leave that asshole, she'd see that he was a real man, and could treat her how she deserved to be treated.

Eventually, he found his way through the huge airport and outside in the passenger pickup area, met with a nice-looking all-white BMW. Damn. Her job gave her that? His Shorty was a boss!

She popped the trunk and before he could get his suitcase in, she'd gotten out of the car and run up to him. He took her into his arms so fast, hugging her tight. Yeah. This is what he needed. All the comfort in the world was right here in his grasp.

She pulled away and held his face with both hands. His eyes were so sad. He wasn't smiling like he usually was with her, but she understood. She wasn't too happy either to hear that she could never return home. She slid her hands down his face and threw her arms around his neck again in another hug. "Oh, Gajeel…"

"It's okay, Levy," he said, burying his head into her hair and inhaling. She smelled so good. She smelled like her. "Come on, I'm tired."

She helped him with his bags and put them in the trunk before getting back in the car. She didn't even know what to say or how to even… "So… what's the plan?"

He buckled himself in and sighed. What was the plan? He barely knew, himself. "I guess I gotta find a place ta stay fer the time bein'. Gotta get situated an' look fer somewhere ta build up a new shop. I dunno what the damage is yet, an' I'm kinda scared ta look."

"Gajeel…" she pulled onto the freeway, getting into the carpool lane. She wanted to drive at top speed, but traffic in this city was outrageous all the time. "I looked right before I called you."

He looked at her face, she was trying to hold back tears. That couldn't mean anything good. He sighed again, rubbing his temples. "Okay, well… I guess I gotta hope the insurance money from my shop will kick in soon so I can get one started here. This is really fucked. All my stuff. My dad's stuff. My shop, Lev. My whole life's been restarted. I have ta start all the way the fuck over. I can't deal right now. I need a drink."

"Okay. We'll go to my place and drink there," she said, finding an opening and picking up speed. She could use a drink, too. "Jet's not there, so we'll be fine."

He grunted in response, taking in the new scenery around him. There were a lot of fucking people here. How could she deal with this? He liked being in the middle of nowhere, and this was the exact opposite! He closed his eyes only to reopen them when he heard a phone dialing through the dashboard of her car.

"Levy, how are you?"

"Mom, I'm okay, I was just checking in on you," Levy said.

"Oh, how nice of you to worry about your mother. Well, I'm fine. I didn't have much in that house, so it was easy for me to get packed up and moved to another island."

"Okay, I'm glad you're fine. I saw the damage and it's not pretty," Levy was still holding back tears, but when she felt a hand on her knee, she was a little relieved.

"I know, dear. You know, you're not the only one that checked on me. A bit after the alert, Gajeel called to make sure I was alright, too."

His face got warm, why did she just put him on blast like that? He averted his eyes, embarrassed for whatever reason.

"Well, that was nice of him," Levy grinned over at a bashful Gajeel. Why was he acting so shy? It was cute!

"Yes, it was. I'm glad you guys finally reconnected. I've always liked him. You know, you should really consider leaving Jet and trying things out with Gaj—"

"Alright, Mom! Can't talk right now! Driving!" Levy's face turned beet red; she couldn't even look at him!

"What? You always get like this when I talk about him. Why? You guys have always been cute together, and I just want to see you happy."

"Oh, Mom," Levy shook her head. Why was she so hell-bent on getting them together?! He was just her best friend, nothing more, nothing less.

"By the way, have you heard from him? Did he evacuate? I tried giving him a call, but it went straight to voicemail."

"Hi, Misses McGarden," he said, a wide smile on his face. He knew that her mom knew how he felt about her since they talked about it, but he didn't know she was also telling Levy to give things a try! He glanced over at Levy, her face was so red! He honestly thought it was the cutest thing.

There was no way they wouldn't end up together.

"Oh~ no wonder she's acting like that! I didn't know you guys were together. Are you planning on relocating there, Gajeel?"

Levy shook her head. Her mom really had no shame.

"Yeah, I gotta lotta work ta do," he said, not really wanting to get into it again. "I just want a drink ta calm my nerves."

"Okay, I understand. Well, you and Levy can go have drinks at her condo. I'm sure she wouldn't mind."

"That's where I'm taking him," Levy said, exasperated.

"Good. Make sure he's taken care of. I'm glad he's alright."

"Me too, I was really worried about him," Levy gave him a sweet smile as she took her exit on the freeway.

"Yeah, she was," Gajeel snickered. "She called me a million times an' left a million messages."

Levy playfully swatted him in the arm. "I can't be worried about my best friend?"

"Hm. Okay dear, if you say so."

"Okay, well, we're close to my place, I just wanted to check in and see how you were doing," Levy came to a stop at a red light. She couldn't wait to get home and hang out with him. They always had a good time over drinks.

"Okay, have fun you two," she paused briefly. "And Gajeel… now that you're there, remember what we talked about."

"Yes ma'am," he said firmly. "I'll make sure of it."

Levy looked over in confusion, what the hell did they talk about? Were they close? 'I mean, they did live across the street from each other, maybe they were…' Why didn't either of them mention anything to her?

"Alright, Mom," Levy had to end the conversation. She was feeling left out and she didn't like it! "Talk to you later! Love you!"

"Love you too, Levy. Take care of her, Gajeel."

"I will, Misses McGarden," he said confidently. "Take care."

Levy was perplexed. Take care of her? What did she mean by that? What did they talk about? It was driving her crazy! And the best part was she knew he wouldn't tell her, either! 'That's annoying!'

Gajeel smirked, he knew she was driving herself crazy wondering what they talked about, but that was the fun part about it! He knew she wouldn't ask, but even if she did, he wouldn't tell her. It was a secret.

She'd find out eventually.

"Good to know you and my mom are conspiring behind my back," she said with a roll of her eyes as she turned into a residential community.

"Don't worry, Shorty. It ain't anythin' bad, I promise," he winked at her, causing her face to turn pink again.

"Whatever," she said, pressing the button to open the gate to her complex.

"Relax, Lev," he squeezed her knee. "We would never do anythin' against yer best interest."

How long had his hand been on her leg like that? And why did it feel normal? Ugh. Jet would have a fit if he saw that! She didn't know why he was so possessive of her when he didn't even touch her! She had needs, too! But no~ he wanted her to lose some weight instead.

What a jerk.

But he was right.

She pulled into her driveway, ready to get inside and relax. It was really nice that Jet was away for the weekend. After what he said to her this morning? She didn't even want to see his face. Why was she still with him, again?

"Alright, come on, let's go in," she said, shutting her car off and stepping out.

He could see the stress cloak her as soon as she got out of her car. This clearly wasn't a safe space for her. Even with that bastard not being there, she was still… not herself. But now that he was there, he had to get her out of there.

He had to.